So this is why Samsung announced bada. That new OS will replace Symbian starting in 2010, according …
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So yes, we know that Bada means "ocean" in Korean, but what about the phones? For starters, each handset will be 3G enabled, with Wi-Fi, GPS and multitouch WVGA screens. Bada's SDK will be released shortly, enabling developers and operators to create and customize for it. It will replace Symbian, which is used on their mid-to-low end handsets traditionally.

The TouchWiz interface, which we've seen on handsets like the Omnia and Behold, will be ported onto Bada, and will offer the following jargon:

Samsung's hoping to see an influx of applications thanks to the $2.7 million prize that's been put up for grabs, and so far, EA and Gameloft have been signed up to develop games for Bada.

We'll see Bada handsets trickling in in the first half of 2010, with Europe and Asia receiving them first, followed by the US and other corners of the globe.

It's a tantalizing prospect, but we're still eager to see exactly what Bada looks and feels like. With Samsung promising to deliver a full open source experience for users and developers, it could do a lot more for creativity than Symbian ever did. SDK users will apparently have full access to the contact, messaging and phone functions, which could see these "mid to low end" handsets actually offering something iPhone and Android users haven't even seen yet. [Samsung Bada]